Most of my favourite memories are from years growing up in Europe and many of them include my dad now that he is really gone. One of the best memories I have is when I was finishing up a day from school. It was the afternoon and I had just completed a game of field hockey with the other girls and we were now changing to go home for the day. A classmate ran into the room and exclaimed to me that my father was outside. I remember shaking off the news with out a care because I knew my dad was not there. He was a world away. He was in a desert. He was not in England and certainly not at my school. Grabbing my belongings I left the school building to be proven very wrong as my eyes met my fathers. I remember the way he looked. He looked so tall (from my short stature of being a young girl) and so tanned. I do not remember my father every looking so dark. He was smiling and I dont remember if I dropped my bag or ran with it under my arm. But I ran all the way to be greeted by his arms in a hug. To be honest my eyes are filled with tears as I write this because it was such a happy memory. Times when I wish I had my father now I wish I could just close my eyes and open them again to see that same smiling face. To be able to give him one more hug. To hear him say 'I love you'.
This is an excerpt from my post Living In England During the Gulf War.
This is such a nice childhood memory, I can understand why it is one of your favorites. So touching.
ReplyDeletexxSusanne
Beautiful story ... what a great surprise that must have been!
ReplyDeleteA beautiful memory and one to treasure. It made me tear up a bit as I lost my dad recently so I recognise wanting to have one last hug.
ReplyDeleteLovely post.
♡ Molly
I know exactly how this feels. Most of the time we would meet my dad at the airport, and he would ALWAYS be the last one off the plane. It feels silly as a little girl to cry everytime you see your dad, but it happened. Every. Single. Time. Like your dad he is always SUPER tan when he comes back.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine the pain you must feel from losing your father. Although I already do, it encourages me to cherish mine for however long God keeps him on this earth.
Thanks for this post dear, it really touched my heart.
-Amanda | Living in Another Language
So beautiful. I'm so sorry for your loss, even now, but he will always be watching over you and I'm sure he's proud of his daughter and what you've achieved.
ReplyDeleteI watched a few Youtube videos the other day of serving personnel surprising their children and I had tears in my eyes from woah to go, so I cant even begin to imagine how you must have felt to see your Father that day.
I loved this post. It was simple and beautiful. I wasn't sure to smile or tear up. (A bit of both happened.) xx
ReplyDeleteMy husband has always been super tan every time he comes back from the middle east. That and he doesn't have blond hair and green eyes and freckles like I do. That might help with the tan. Now that my kids are going to be full fledged Army brats, I wonder how their lives will turn out and be different as adults. Reading you makes me feel a little better. :-)
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